Antiskid shoe device



Patented Oct. 7, 1941 2,258,322 ANTISKID SHOE DEVICE Lill K. Frolich, Louisville, Nebr.

Application March 31, 1941, Serial No. 385,985

2 Claims.

This invention relates to anti-skid devices and has for an object to provide a device of small bulk, of economical construction which may be readily applied to and removed from a shoe in a position of use or readily folded and placed in a small sack for carrying said sack and contents in the users pocket or a ladys purse.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for anti-skid purposes having an inherent degree of resiliency for preventing accumulations of snow, ice particles and debris thereon during use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be understood from the following detailed description.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the new device applied as in use to a shoe, the latter being represented by means of dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a modification of the new device.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the device shown in Figure 1.

As heretofore practiced in the art numerous anti-skid devices comprised primarily of metal have been produced which were either permanently attached to shoes or attachable by means of several buckles and straps, said prior device being bulky or not readily foldable whereby it has been found that people are loath to carry the 30 "same during inclement weather and at times when side walks and streets are covered with snow and the present invention aims to obviate the undesirable features of the prior practice.

Referring now to the drawing for a more par- 5 ticular description It! indicates generally the antiskid portion of the present invention, said member being formed of flexible cloth ll having attached thereto or embedded therein a plurality instep portion IQ of said shoe in a manner whereby the member lll is prevented from movement towards the heel 20 of the shoe.

At opposite sides of the member In opposite ends of a resilient strap 2| are secured and in use the closed end 22 of the strap extends over the upper portion-of the heel 20 of said shoe whereby the member In is prevented from movement towards the me H of the shoe I5.

The elastic bands l2 extend across the bottom portion 23 of the member ill, being secured to and embedded within said bottom portion and opposite ends of said bands are respectively secured to and embedded in the oppositely disposed side wall portions of the member Ill. The portions of 4 said bands which are disposed across said bottom 23 are of a normal length which isless than the distance across said bottom for maintaining said bottom limp across the sole i8 of'the shoe during use by means of the urge of said plastic bands, the latter being adapted to yield when stretched during bending movements of said sole incident to walking movements-of a users foot, at which time said bottom portion expands against the urge of said elastic bands, whereby during said walking movements the bottom 23 of the new device is subjected to forces which alternately contract said bottom portion at times when the sole I8 is raised off from the ground and caused to expand during bending movements of the sole! resultant from the change in contour of the ball of a users foot during said walking. As thus described it will be noted that said bottom portion 23 is caused to have, during use, suificient changes in contour and area to free said bottom portion of snow and debries which would otherwise normally cling to said bottom.

As thus described it will be noted that a user upon encountering icy pavements or the of transversely disposed spaced apart elastic 40 like may readily position one of the new devices bands l2.

The member I I! is open at each end thereof whereby the toe of a shoe, the latter being upon the foot of a user, may be inserted through said openings, the narrower forward opening I3 there- 01, in use, being disposed a' few inches from the toe ll of the shoe ii. The oppositely disposed side wall portions ii of the member l0 extend from the toe opening i3 divergently and flaringly with respect to each other toward the other opening I! at the wider end, of the member 10 and as thus described it will be noted that the new device may be disposed in the position shown in Figure 1 with respect to the shoe l5 whereby said device is snugly disposed over the sole l8 and the upon each foot and that at times when the bottom portion of said device is in contact with pavement, that since said bottom is rugose, as shown, the feet of said user are prevented from slipping or skidding upon snow and ice covered pavement, the flexing and bending of the member l0 during walking movements preventing compacted snow from accumulating upon the bottom portion 23 of the new device whereby said bottom becomes automatically freed of debris during walking steps taken.

The new device is marketed in several assorted sizes for conforming to several different shoe sizes.

Referring to Figure 2 the modification there oppositely disposed strips of cloth Ill and'il are attached to the opposite edges of said bifurcations, said strips carrying metallic interlockable Zipper fastenings of well known design whereby at times when the slidable talon 32 is moved towards the end l3 of said modification, said edges are freed from each other and at times when the talon is moved to the position shown in Figure 2, said edges are attached together in a well known manner.

At times when the new device is provided with said Zipper mechanism the talon may be moved towards the toe opening l3 for facilitating placing the new device about a shoe and in the position shown in Figure 1; whereupon the talon is moved towards the opening ll of the modification for causing the latter to engage snugly about the ball of the foot, the sole and instep of a shoe.

The new device may be readily removed from a shoe, folded and placed in a moisture proof bag for transportation in a lady's purse or the vest pocket of a gentleman and readily available for emergency use. 4

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that an anti-skid shoe device constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for thisreason I do not wish it to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in I claimed.

carrying out my invention in practice I claim:

1. An anti-skid shoe device comprising a fiexother from said wider end toward said narrower end, a bottom portion disposed between and secured to saidside wall portions, whereby said.

member may be readily disposed snugly across the instep, sole of said shoe and the ball of a person's foot carrying said shoe, said member being provided with a plurality of elastic bands disposed across and secured to said bottom portion, opposite ends of said bands being respectively secured to said side wall portions, those portions of said bands disposed across said bottom being of a normal length less than the transverse distance of said bottom, and an elongated resilient strap having its ends respectively secured to opposite sides of said cloth member, the closed end of said strap being adapted to engage across the upper portion of the heel of said shoe for preventing movement of said member away from said heel, said bottom portionbeing rugose for preventing skidding movements of said foot during walking movements of the latter, said bottom portion being adapted to contract under urge of said elastic bands and to expand against the urge of said bands during said walking move.-

ments,-whereby snow and the like debris becomes LILL K. FROLICH.

except as 

